A WINCHESTER city centre care home for the elderly is poised to close.

Thirty-two full and part-time jobs are at risk and 12 residents would have to move when Devenish House closes.

The home in Southgate Street has been operated by St John’s Winchester charity since opening in 1994.

The charity launched consultations with the staff this week after breaking the news to them on Tuesday.

Some will be offered jobs at Moorside, St John's care home on Durngate which is to be enlarged.

The charity director Clive Cook told the Chronicle Devenish House was becoming increasingly financially unviable and is getting harder to attract residents with occupancy rates falling from 94 per cent in 2014 to just just over half today.

But he said none of the 12 residents would be moved until they had been rehomed. The date for closure is dependent on when the last residents have new homes, said Mr Cook.

It is expensive to maintain the 18th century building and the introduction of the National Living Wage of £9 an hour in 2020 would add to the overheads.

Mr Cook said: “It is an extremely difficult decision for myself and the board, but it is the right decision. The wellbeing of residents has always been our priority and, if Devenish House closes as proposed, we are committed to working closely with the 12 remaining residents and their families and with the commissioners, Hampshire County Council, to find suitable alternative care homes.

"We hope to offer some residents an opportunity to move to a local home with much improved facilities. We will do all in our power to support residents and their families at this difficult time. In order to maximise the choices available to them, we will provide a financial ‘top-up’ for residents, above and beyond HCC and NHS fees.”

Mr Cook said: "It has been increasingly challenging to provide high quality care in this Grade II listed building, with accommodation spread over three floors and in mainly small rooms that lack full en-suite provision and some of which are not suited to delivering specialist nursing care. Furthermore, the communal facilities are limited, and there is no garden or meaningful outdoor space. "

The news will come as a surprise to many as it only opened 20 years ago and had a modern extension added to the rear.

St John's operates several sites in the city centre with 24 units at St John's North, 27 at St John's South and 25 at Mary Magdalen off Colebrook Street.

The future of Devenish House is unclear. Possible uses include offices, a hotel or upmarket flats. It is across the road from several upmarket development including St Thomas and Provost Place.

St John’s Winchester is planning an internal extension to provide an additional four rooms at Moorside, its specialist dementia care home in Durngate, which is currently caring for 27 residents and providing day-care services.

Work is planned to start next month and be completed in February 2017.